Word for the day by Christian Education Forum

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Priesthood of all Believers
Isaiah 61: 1-11

Ansu Varghese
St. John’s MTC, NY
The spirit of the Lord God is upon me, because the Lord has anointed me; he has sent me to bring good news to the oppressed, to bind up the broken hearted to proclaim liberty to the captives  and release to the prisoners; 2 to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor, and the day of vengeance of our God; to comfort all who mourn;
 
Chapter 61 of Isaiah is filled with sweeping promises and good news of a restored world in the future when we, His people, will experience the ‘Lord’s favor’ through the coming of the Messiah. The good news is a proclamation that things are going to be different. But it isn’t until we read The Gospel of Luke Chapter 4, Verses 14 to 21 (Jesus’ first sermon at Nazareth) that we realize the completion and fulfillment of these promises through His Son, our Savior Jesus Christ. Jesus read this exact portion from the Book of Isaiah, to His listeners in the synagogue on the day of the Sabbath after which “…he began to say to them, “Today this Scripture has been fulfilled in your hearing.” ” (Luke 4:21)

The prophet Isaiah foreshadows the mission of Jesus Christ during the 8th century BC, about 700 years before Jesus confirms and links these prophecies to Himself. Jesus spent His time on earth healing the sick, feeding the hungry, bringing hope to the poor and unworthy, providing shelter to the homeless, comforting the broken-hearted and in full essence defining and piloting our purposeful lives as Christians. He, through the power of His Father - our God, fulfilled the purpose for which He came to earth. He delivered on all of these promises.

How do we relate these passages to ourselves and our daily lives today? We live in a world heavy laden by disillusionments and broken promises. We witness daily events where we feel His promises become less and less apparent. Do we give up on our Lord’s plan for us? We are assigned the job of the priesthood - to believe that through Jesus Christ, we have been given the responsibility to minister for Him and care for others.

As human beings, we should use our talents and professions to serve those who need us. As believers, we should motivate ourselves to provide for our fellow human beings in whatever capacity we can - big or small. As Christians, we should make into reality the vision our Father has for each one of us. Let us not go searching for our purposes, when we can instead live with a purpose. Let us deliver on our promises, in the most meaningful way we can and have been taught by His Son, Jesus Christ.

PRAYER


Our Almighty God, we praise and glorify You for the gift of Your Son. We stand in awe of You, Father and the redeeming work that we have experienced through our Savior Jesus Christ. We pray that we mature spiritually to get to know You and worship You as You have revealed Yourself through Your Son. Help us recognize our purposes in these human lives, inspire the witnesses in us, and fulfill the mission that you have planned for each one of us. Amen.

THOUGHT FOR THE DAY:
“When you realize God's purpose for your life isn't just about you, He will use you in a mighty way.” - Dr. Tony Evans (Senior Pastor, Dallas, TX).

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